When you hear the word "fearlessness," what do you think of? I think of being able to overcome our fears. For example, I have a fear of heights, and so when I am able to do something that involves heights, I am being fearless.
But fearlessness has to do with how we live our every day lives as well. Many people called Brother Lawrence "fearless," because he was able to elevate himself above all that was not God. "He coveted nothing; nothing astonished him; he feared nothing. This stability of his soul came from the same source as all his other virtues. He had an exalted concept of God which made him think of Him as sovereign Justice and infinite Goodness. He was confident that God would not deceive him and that He would do him only good..."
Now this is a challenge for us, because we get so locked into this world, that we get caught up in the petty concerns and worries of life. We have difficulty raising ourselves above this notion that we don't have to covet or own anything to be happy. Our happiness can rest in God alone; the God who provides for us all that we need. We don't seek God and love God because of the benefits that He gives to us. We seek God and love God because God is our creator, and the One in whom we find our being and purpose.
Another aspect of Brother Lawrence's life that challenges us is the fact that he sought to act without any self-interest. This is a great challenge, because we have difficulty living our lives without being selfish. We are given this challenge by the apostle Paul in Philippians 2:3-4, "3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Can we live our lives without seeking a reward? Can we be fearless by living our lives differently than those who don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord?
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